Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

What are CFSA’s key program areas? 1) Technical Assistance: We provide farmers and food hubs with the support, resources, and hands-on assistance they need to be resilient, profitable, and productive. CFSA’s Technical Assistance Program areas include Farm Food Safety, Organic Production, Conservation Planning, Climate Resilience, High Tunnel Production, and Market Access. 2) Education: We host conferences, workshops, meetups, and farm tours to keep farmers and food systems stakeholders engaged, connected, and informed. CFSA’s signature events include the Sustainable Agriculture Conference, the Piedmont Farm Tour, and the Organic Commodities & Livestock Conference. 3) Advocacy: We train food and farming community leaders, drive local, state, and national policies, and coalition-build for strong, thriving fair food and farming systems.
How does CFSA’s work impact local food consumers? CFSA’s work with farmers empowers you to know what’s in your food, because being organic means being fully traceable from farm to fork. We help strengthen community food security programs so more people have access to locally grown, organic food. CFSA works to build more environmentally conscious food production and distribution systems that benefit you, our community, and our planet.

CFSA 2026 Annual Membership Meeting

CFSA Virtual Farmer Meet-Up, December 2026: Favorite Varieties for Market Production

Give

Remembering Wendell Berry (1936 – 2026)

The State of Organic Agriculture in 2026

Showing Up for Farmers, With Farmers: CFSA’s 2025 Impact Report

Farm & Garden Stores: What organic inputs do you carry? Complete the Organic Input Supplier Survey to let us know!

2026 Questions for Candidates

Organic Farmers: Where do you purchase your inputs? Complete the Organic Farmer Input Survey to let us know!

From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate: Annual Piedmont Farm Tour welcomes visitors to 30 farms across five counties

Policy Update: A Day on the Hill, and What’s Next

Farmsshare Emerges as Proven Statewide Model for Strengthening Local Food Systems and Advancing Nutrition Security

FarmsSHARE in Western NC: Growing Resiliency Through Relationships

Dylan Alexander

Grace Baucom

Thea Bergen

Alesia Bock

Lynn Brinkley

Amelia Bruss

Mark Dempsey

Jay Dunbar

Lenwood Edwards

Sonia Frischemeier

Cassidy Fryga

Matt Kneece

Angie Lavezzo

Jacob Leech

Emily Ling

Roland McReynolds

Karen McSwain

Mary Beth Miller

Wanda Morrison

Cheryl Ripperton Rettie

Joe Rowland

Sara Runkel

Alex Borst

Michael Brown

Jennifer Curtis

Abbie Dillon

Jim Johnson

Katherine Lewis

Jamey Lowdermilk

Shameeka M. McKoy

Grace Summers

Andrea White

Tiki Windley

Frequently Asked Questions

No one understands the challenges, needs, and priorities of farmers better than farmers themselves: CFSA's Annual Farmer and Farm Worker Survey is open now, and we're calling on our farmer network here in the Carolinas to complete the survey and share your goals, struggles, and ideas with our team. ➡️ https://bit.ly/cfsa-2026-annual-farmer-survey Your responses will help inform which initiatives, projects, and programs we'll pursue in 2027 and beyond, driving our strategic planning across food systems, farmer technical assistance, advocacy, and member services to best serve small-scale, sustainable growers like you. 🤩 And as a thank-you for your time and effort, respondents who complete the survey by November 30th, 2026, will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of two $100 Visa gift cards! How to enter the drawing: 〰️ Step 1: Fill out CFSA's Annual Farmer Survey by November 30th (15-20 mins) 〰️ Step 2: Submit the completed survey, and you'll be automatically entered into the $100 gift card drawing. 〰️ Step 3: Pat yourself on the back for contributing to the informed design of practical educational initiatives and programs for farmers! Drawing winners will be notified in early December. We can't wait to hear from you.

Bringing the Sustainable Agriculture Conference to life is a team effort! 💚 CFSA extends our thanks to the sponsors and exhibitors supporting this year's event and sharing their services and offerings with our community. Their investment in sustainable agriculture and local food systems is essential to our collective success, and we can't wait for all our conference attendees to get to know these values-aligned businesses and organizations this weekend. Trade Show lineup giving you FOMO? Tickets are still available for last-minute purchase on our website: carolinafarmstewards.org/sustainable-agriculture-conference Trade Show Exhibitors: Basket Case Farms Booth Law Co., PLLC Carbon Nurture Care Farming Network Center for Environmental Farming Systems Certified Naturally Grown Chapman Financial Services Country Farm & Home Cuentos y Cafe BIPOC Bookstore Culinary Breeding Network Davidson County Local Food Network Dirtcraft Living Soils Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) South Farm to Family Market LLC Fidelis Fields Farm GigEast Source Good Agriculture High Mowing Seeds Hipcamp Jewish Farmer Network Johnny’s Selected Seeds Juneberry Ridge Land Loss Prevention Project Living Well Earth Stewards/Deep River Folk School Local Food Marketplace MarketLink (Farmers Food Assistance Bureau) Mushroom Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Service - North Carolina NC A&T State Cooperative Extension NC Department of Agriculture - Agronomic Division NC Department of Agriculture - Produce Safety Program NC Department of Agriculture - Visit NC Farms NC FarmLink - NC Cooperative Extension NC Farm School NC Food Systems Advocacy Coalition Organic Seed Alliance Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Piedmont Grown Quality Certification Services RAFI Reedy Fork Organic Farm Resaca Sun Feeds Rimol Greenhouse Systems Rodale Institute Rooted in Tech Second Wind Perennial Farms Seven Springs Farm Supply Co. South Carolina Black Farmers Coalition Foundation Southeastern Seed & Plant Exchange Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project The Forest Farmacy Tangaza . io Ujamaa Seeds Utopian Seed Project Worms With A Mission

Are you a farmer in the Carolinas growing diverse annual vegetable or flower crops? Are you concerned about pricing your produce and which crops will give you the best return on investment? Are you looking for ways to lower labor costs and run a more efficient farming operation? 🧐🌱 If you answered YES to any or all of these questions, the Know Your Cost to Grow Program could be right for you! 🤩 Applications are open through November 20th for the Winter 2027 cohort: carolinafarmstewards.org/market-access Know Your Cost to Grow (KYCTG) is a unique, cohort-based training program for farmers to build competence and confidence in farm business management, with a focus on crop-specific costing and labor time studies. Over the course of the five-part program, attendees receive virtual instruction on land and labor optimization, get access to the exclusive KYCTG web app, complete a crop-costing workbook tailored to their operations, and attend an in-person field day at CFSA's Lomax Farm in Concord, NC. Cohort spots are limited, so don't wait to apply! KYCTG is designed for farmers who have 4+ years experience growing annual vegetables and a foundational knowledge of farm recordkeeping.

Early voting is open now in both North Carolina and South Carolina! 🗳️ Farm and food policy should be a part of every candidate’s platform, and CFSA has put together a Questions for Candidates Guide to help you research, understand, and have productive conversations with candidates about food and agriculture issues. Check it out: carolinafarmstewards.org/2026-questions-for-candidates The guide is designed to equip you for meaningful participation in forums, discussions, and town hall meetings between now and election day, featuring questions, talking points, and best practices tailored to local-level candidates, state-level candidates in both North and South Carolina, and federal candidates. The more candidates for every level of government hear and learn about the importance of sustainable farming and food systems, the more likely they’ll be to support policies that foster these systems once elected. Public discourse about these issues is critical to increase awareness and prepare to hold our elected officials accountable. 🎤 NC Early Voting: Oct 15 to Oct 31 SC Early Voting: Oct 19 to Oct 31 Election Day: Nov 3

Happy #WorldFoodDay! In exactly two weeks, we'll be in the NC Triad, enjoying pre-conference on-farm workshops around the region before diving into a weekend of learning and networking at the conference proper in Winston-Salem. We have a delicious, seasonal, locally-sourced conference menu planned: look forward to warm, hearty breakfasts, a Sip & Snack Reception on Saturday evening, and a sit-down Local Food Luncheon on Sunday to accompany our Keynote Panel. 🍎🍽️ We hear from attendees every year that the incredible conference meals, coordinated for CFSA by Kris Reid of @slowfoodusa, are a highlight of the experience, creating a values-driven, immersive atmosphere that's nourishing for both body and soul. We can't wait to dig in! 🚨 Today, October 16th is the final day of standard ticket sales, so buy your ticket now before Last Call pricing begins tomorrow: carolinafarmstewards.org/sustainable-agriculture-conference. *Be sure to add the Sunday Local Food Luncheon & Keynote Panel to your registration during checkout to make the most of your weekend!* See you in two weeks!

Managing pest, disease, and weed pressures in agroecological farming systems can sometimes feel like trying to solve a puzzle without a reference picture. 🤔 CFSA's new Organic Pest Management Inputs Guide is here to help you fit the pieces together! 🧩 🔍 Designed for Certified Organic and organic-aligned growers, the guide breaks down standards for organic pest control, and details key use cases and regulations associated with twenty-five common pesticides approved for use in organic farming systems after cultural, mechanical, and biological interventions have been exhausted. Read and download your copy of the guide on our website: carolinafarmstewards.org/resources/organic-pest-management-inputs-guide Want an extra set of hands on your puzzle solving team? Sign up for CFSA's Organic Production Technical Assistance program: carolinafarmstewards.org/organic-production

Organic growers: CFSA's new Southeastern Organic Input Guide makes finding Certified Organic inputs a breeze! The Southeastern Organic Input Guide is a practical reference resource providing the straightforward, no-frills info you need on sourcing organic inputs, featuring a directory of 19 farm suppliers located across the Carolinas and beyond, and their standard organic inventories across key input categories. 📋 Check it out: https://carolinafarmstewards.org/resources/organic-input-guide .... The development of this resource was supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).

Get pump(kin)ed up for CFSA's fall events! ☺️🎃 Come learn with us: www.carolinafarmstewards.org/events Virtual Farmer Meet-Up: Applying to NRCS Programs Oct 6 | 12-1pm | Virtual Pasture Management, Conservation, & Soil Health Oct 9 | 9am-12pm | Mt. Olive, NC The Art of Boutique Farming Oct 30 | 9am-12pm | Liberty, NC Building Soil Health at Scale: Cover Crops for Broad Acreage Systems Oct 30 | 9am-12pm | Greensboro, NC Scaling Up Market Gardens: Year-Round Production & Marketing for Direct-to-Consumer & Wholesale Success Oct 30 | 9am-3pm | Pfafftown, NC Transforming Empty Spaces Into Productive Green Places Oct 30 | 1-3:30pm | High Point, NC On-Farm Seed Saving in the Southeast Oct 30 | 1-4:30pm | Winston-Salem, NC Growing Knowledge: Advancing Agriculture Through On-Farm Research Oct 30 | 1-4:30pm | Westfield, NC CFSA Advocacy & Leadership Seminar Oct 30 | 1-6pm | Winston-Salem, NC 2026 Sustainable Agriculture Conference Oct 30 - Nov 1 | Winston-Salem, NC Virtual Farmer Meet-Up: Psychological First-Aid Nov 3 | 12-1pm | Virtual

September is 2026 #OrganicMonth! Supporting organic producers in the Carolinas is central to CFSA's mission, and we're pleased to join @organictrade in celebrating the positive impacts of organic farming production methods on soil health, biodiversity, and resource conservation. Farmers: whether or not pursuing formal USDA #CertifiedOrganic status is part of your farm's plans, CFSA is here to help you implement and promote organic practices suited to your land, operation, and market access goals. Sign up for our Organic Production Technical Assistance Program today! https://carolinafarmstewards.org/organic-production/ #SealMakesItSimple #NationalOrganicMonth #OrganicFarming #ChooseOrganic #GrowOrganic

Sixty weekend workshops. Seven pre-conference Friday workshops. Three days packed with learning, networking, and connection! 🏵️💯 Swipe to check out the full schedule of workshops we have planned for this fall's Sustainable Agriculture Conference, then head to our website to read more about them and to buy your ticket: https://carolinafarmstewards.org/sustainable-agriculture-conference/

⚠️ Is your farm prepared for more extreme weather, shifting growing conditions, and the challenges that come with a changing climate? Through CFSA's new Climate Resilience Technical Assistance Program, we’re offering hands-on technical assistance to help farmers identify practical ways to assess climate risks, select best-fit strategies, and build stronger, more resilient operations. Participants will work with CFSA Farm Services team members to assess climate risks, priorities, and goals on their farms, and develop tailored whole-farm resilience plans grounded in actionable best practices. Key Outcomes: 🌱 Define your farm goals grounded in your priorities 🌱 Better understand your climate risks 🌱 Identify effective climate resilience strategies 🌱 Determine best-fit practices specific to your operation 🌱 Develop a whole-farm resilience plan Just thirty spaces available for this November 2026-April 2027 program – spots are expected to fill up quickly! Sign up today: carolinafarmstewards.org/climate-resilience

Thanks to Jack Johnson and team for having CFSA as a featured nonprofit in the All At Once village at his August 22nd Raleigh, NC concert! 🎵 CFSA Soil Conservationist Amelia and Farm & Faith Community Organizer Emily had a blast introducing our local food systems and sustainable agriculture initiatives to concert attendees. Jack himself even stopped by to say hello and sample a delicious NC-grown peach! 🍑 Learn more about the All At Once Jack Johnson social action network, which connects sustainability, conservation, and food systems nonprofits with people who want to support sustainable solutions in their communities: allatonce.org Make a donation to CFSA: carolinafarmstewards.org/donate #AAOLocalFood #SURFILMUSIC

Food safety certifications, like Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), can unlock new market channels and growth opportunities for your farm. CFSA's technical service providers know food safety certification programs inside and out, and can help you tackle the planning and audit preparation processes with clarity and confidence (and a nifty supply kit like this one)! 🧽🧰 Applications for CFSA's Farm Food Safety Technical Assistance Program are accepted year-round, and now is a great time to apply: carolinafarmstewards.org/farm-food-safety Feedback from CFSA Food Safety Technical Assistance recipients 😊: ✳️ "Your organization was a huge help for our GAP certification. You provided us guidance for our GAP Plan." ✳️ "Thanks for the tremendous help with establishing a food safety plan." ✳️ "I love this program and have recommended it to many landowners. Without CFSA we wouldn’t have ever gotten our GAP certification." ✳️ "From the first drafting of the [food safety] plan all the way to completing the first audit...if it was not for the assistance and the help, I don't think we would have been ready; we wouldn't have been as successful." ✳️ "[GAP certification] opened a market door that we now have." ✳️ "We obtained GAP certification, sold to new markets, and increased profitability."

Interested in organic certification for your farm, but worried about the time and investment required to complete the certification process? Read CFSA's new Field Notes on Growing Organic guide to hear directly from fellow farmers like Ben about their experience navigating certification: how it works, what it costs, and why it's worth it. 🥬💡 The barriers farmers face when considering organic certification -- concerns over administrative paperwork, price and yield risk during the wait, and access to organic markets -- are real, but less intimidating to navigate with the expertise and insight of established organic growers on your side. 🔗 Read the guide: carolinafarmstewards.org/resources/field-notes-on-growing-organic 🔗 Sign up for CFSA's Organic Production Technical Assistance program: carolinafarmstewards.org/organic-production The development of this resource was supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for: public registration for CFSA’s 2026 Sustainable Agriculture Conference is open now! 🔗 carolinafarmstewards.org/sustainable-agriculture-conference This year's conference, scheduled for October 30th - November 1st in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will be packed with inspiring workshops, engaging networking opportunities, an expansive trade show, a festive social reception, interactive farm tours, and more. 🏵️🍂 Whether you’re new to CFSA’s community or a longtime friend, there’s no better place to connect with our work — and with the local food and farming movement — than at the Sustainable Agriculture Conference! Save big by purchasing your conference ticket during our Early Bird Sale, available only through the end of August! Scholarship applications, work exchange sign-ups, and single-day passes are also open now. See you this fall! ___ 🌼 The 2026 featured Sustainable Agriculture Conference art piece, "A World Beneath the Dandelions," is courtesy of @thekaitthomas, illustrator and designer based in Charlotte, NC.

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